In the Summer of 1936, Poulenc learned of the tragic
death of his friend and colleague, Pierre-Octave Ferroud, a brilliantly
talented young composer, in a horrific car accident in Hungary. Poulenc
was deeply affected by this; it led him to make a pilgrimage to the
church at Rocamadour in central France, where there is a famed statue
of a Black Virgin. As well as signalling a return to the religion of
his youth, these experiences gave rise to a series of moving sacred
choral works, commencing with the Litanies à la Vierge Noire
(Litanies to the Black Virgin) of 1939, the Quatre Motets
pour un temps de pénitence (Four motets for a time of
penitence) of the same year, and culminating in the Stabat Mater
of 1950. This remarkably fine DVD from the BBC is devoted to these
works and their background.

This is an excellent example of what DVD can do. We
have here a very complete package; three filmed performances, a highly
impressive ‘virtual visit’ to Rocamadour, and a discussion of Marian
symbolism, linking it to Poulenc and his work. The performances themselves
are very fine; the combined choirs of Clare and Gonville and Caius Colleges,
Cambridge (mixed, not all-male of course) are disciplined and musical,
and produce wonderfully clear, precise tone. Quite why there are three
different conductors for the three works I have no idea, but no doubt
there is a good reason! The soprano soloist in the Stabat Mater,
Judith Howarth, is superb. She sings with majestic simplicity, and
with glorious soaring tone in the Paradisi Gloria section. Poulenc
fans will love the ending; so typical of the composer to finish the
work on an unresolved dissonance (dominant 7th if you’re
interested!).

The Stabat Mater has been recorded at St. Wulfram’s
Church, Grantham, which is an ideal setting. The filming seems to me
to be very well done; so often, producers go overboard on the visuals,
ending up with a fussy presentation which does nothing for the music.
The director here. one Ferenc van Damme, has resisted the temptation,
and the production is quite simple, the camera dwelling on different
performers much as the eye will do in a concert. There are one or two
of the inevitable ‘cut-aways’ to flickering candles etc., but this is
not overdone.

The smaller works, the Litanies and the Motets
also receive sensitive, highly accomplished performances, though I confess
I prefer the Litanies in the setting for strings and timpani
rather than organ. There are some very well taken solos from the choir
in the Motets, too, which are restrained and superbly imaginative settings.

The accompanying items are well worth their place here.
The virtual visit to Rocamadour is accompanied by specially composed
music by James Whitbourn, and appropriately numinous it is, too. We
are taken up many of the 216 steps, into the chapel itself, and finally
to a contemplation of the simple wooden statue which was the source
of so much solace and inspiration to Poulenc. The short documentary
that follows is about the phenomenon of the Black Madonnas that are
found in so many places throughout the world, and the two experts, one
British, one American, are fascinating on the symbolism that surrounds
these figures, and their relationship to Poulenc’s experiences and,
hence, his music.

This issue would obviously make an excellent educational
resource for schools and colleges. But it is much more than that, a
moving, compelling document regarding some of this unique composer’s
finest music.

Gwyn Parry-Jones

A moving, compelling document regarding some of this
unique composer’s finest music. … see Full Review

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